1882 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



49t 



Or Departiitout for those wlio don't Sign 

 Tlicir Names. 



^o^LEASE send me bj' express, C. O. D., 1000 small- 

 Jiff^ sized section frames for surplus honey, with 



Send immediatly, and 

 Alex. Casebeer. 



foundation for same, 

 oblige,— 



Reese, Aug-. 31, 188:i. 



Brother Casebeer, we should be most hap- 

 py to send you the goods by the first train, if 

 we only knew where you have your abiding- 

 place, or where to send them to. Unfortu- 

 nately, your letter was mailed on some train, 

 so we have not even the benefit of the post- 

 mark to help us. It is true, you did manage 

 to say " Reese " on one corner of your letter, 

 and we can, perhaps, by the aid of the Ros- 

 tal Guide, hunt you up ; but I fear your 

 honey crop will be past. 



EUROPEAN LINDEN. 



now TO PROLONG THE PERIOD OF BASSWOOD BLOOM. 



J? HAVE just been looking- through my books on 

 I bee culture for some enlightment on a question 

 — ' -which has just been brought to my attention in 

 regard to the linden, or basswood, but wilh no satis- 

 factory result. 



On the 2d of July, as I was passing along the street, 

 I observed a basswood-tree in bloom, and the bees 

 roaring upon it. I called the attention of a friend 

 to it, and, meeting him a few days afterward, he re- 

 marked that I was mistaken about the tree being 

 basswood, as he had spoken with the gentleman 

 whose place it was opposite, and was informed by 

 him that it was linden ; the seed having been brought 

 from England years ago, from which it and many 

 other trees which adorn the roads and avenues in 

 this vicinity have sprung. I replied that we were 

 both right in the matter, as linden and basswood 

 are one. 



But he said, "No, there is a difference, as you will 

 readily observe by looking at a basswood-tree not 

 far from this one, which is not yet in bloom." 



My attention being thus called to the matter, I 

 have been on the lot)kout for linden and basswood 

 trees, and I have discovered a number of both varie- 

 ties, and there certainly is a difference between 

 them. The linden has a tendency toward a conical 

 form, while the native basswood, even where it 

 stands out singly, carries nearly the same breadth 

 of branches from bottom to top, and is by no means 

 so gi-aceful a tree to look upon as the linden. 



But the most important fact connected with this 

 matter is, that the period of their bloom is different. 

 The linden was in bloom before the first of July, and 

 on the 10th the bees were still roaring among its 

 very profuse bloom, while the buds of the basswood 

 had not yet opened; and even at this date, July 15, 

 some of them which I have observed are just begin- 

 ning to bloom. 



If I am correct in my observations, that the Eng- 

 lish linden, like the American, is an excellent honey- 

 plant, and that its bloom fails just as the bloom of 

 the latter begins, these facts are certainly worth 

 knowing, to those who are interested in artificial bee 

 pasturage. James McNeill. 



Hudson, N. Y., July 15, 1882. 



The facts you give are not new, friend M.; 



but for all that, we thank you for calling at- 

 tention to the matter again. When we 

 planted our basswood orchard, about ten 

 years ago, we purchased a number of Euro- 

 pean lindens just to test this very peculiari- 

 ty ; but, if I am not mistaken, every one has 

 died. An earlier-blooming variety is not so 

 desirable as one that blooms later, for it 

 comes right in the midst of clover bloom. 

 Something that would prolong the honey- 

 yield a month later would be indeed a boon 

 to the bee keeping world, and I feel sure it 

 may be found by a little effort. To hasten 

 the work, we could bud the young trees. 

 Here is a field for friend House, wiio is an 

 expert in the budding business. 



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THE "golden" bee-hive, AGAIN. 



E write briefly to get information which we 

 deem of importance to you as well as our- 

 selves. The facts are these : David Thomp- 

 son, of Nashville, Tenn. (at least representing him- 

 self so), sold ail his right or title to what he called 

 the "Golden Bee-Hive," for the State of West Vir- 

 ginia, to a couple of citizens of our county ; said hive 

 was patented in July, 187". These gentlemen claim 

 on their patent a bee-feeder, key-board and lever, 

 and shallow frames about 4 in. deep in upper story, 

 the frames runningcrosswise of the hive. They are 

 now ordering all persons who are using two-story 

 hives with frames to discontinue using them, or 

 they will prosecute in U. S. courts. One of the 

 gentlemen referred to, who is a member of our 

 church, has anotherbrother inour church arrainged 

 before it for trial for infringing on his patent by 

 simply using two stories on a hive, without the 

 other devices alluded to. Now, what we want to 

 know is this: We are members of the same church 

 as the parties alluded to; we are using Langstroth 

 hives, 2-story; have about 154; had our upper-story 

 frames made 5 inches deep for extracting; the 

 frames in the upper story are the same as the lower 

 story, except in depth. We wish to know if any 

 other bee-men are using shallow frames in upper 

 story; and if so, how many years since, and what is 

 your opinion about the matter — whether we can be 

 prosecuted in the courts for using shallow frames in 

 upper story? If we have to abandon top stories 

 with shallow frames we shall be forced to use the 

 Golden hive, and pay six dollars for family right to 

 use it, l)esides having to use a hive which we do not 

 like. If so, it will injure your business up here. Let 

 us hear from you at once. J. Shepher & Bro. 

 Young's Mills, Kanawha Co., W. Va., Aug. 24, 1882. 



Your "church people'' are beside them- 

 selves, friend S. Two-story hives are in use 

 the world over ; and the man who claims a 

 patent, as you state it, <ind obtains money by 

 threats, can be arrested as a fraud and 

 swindler. See our Sept. No., page. 437. 



